7.3 Cheese Varieties
Objectives
- Apply principles of cheese cookery from previous labs in preparing various cheese dishes.
- Identify the distinguishing characteristics of a variety of cheeses and cheese products.
Natural Cheeses and Cheese Blends
Note the distinguishing characteristics and compositional differences of cheeses in the categories on the following pages. Then use the types to compare cheese during the Cheese Sampling.
| Type |
Description |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Process Cheese Blends |
Process Cheese is made by grinding or mixing together by heating and stirring one or more cheeses of the same or different varieties. An emulsifying agent is then blended into the mixture. Small amounts of acid, cream, water, and spices or flavorings may be added. Example: Deluxe American Process Cheese
Analysis: £ 40% moisture,³ 32% fat for process Cheddar cheese |
||||
| Cheese Food
|
Cheese Food is made the same way as the cheese (process or cold pack) except that milk, skim milk, cheese whey or whey albumin, or their concentrates, may be added, as well as acid, water, spices, or flavorings. Example:
Analysis: £ 44% moisture,³ 23% fat. |
||||
| Process Cheese Spread
|
Process Cheese Spread is made the same way as process cheese food except that it may contain stabilizers, more moisture, and less fat, and must be spreadable at 70°F. Example: Cheese Whiz
Analysis: £ 44–60% moisture,³ 20% fat for process Cheddar Cheese. |
||||
| Cheese products
|
Cheese products that do not meet any of the standards listed above may be labeled “imitation cheese” or “cheese products.” Example: boxed Velveeta | ||||
| Type | Name | % Fat*,** | % Moisture* | Distinguishing Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft, unripened | Cottage | 4 | 80 | Acid coagulated (small curd) |
| Cream | 35 | 54 | Acid coagulated | |
| Neufchatel | 23 | 62 | Acid coagulated | |
| Firm, unripened | Gjetost | 30 | 13 | Goats’ milk, whey cheese 44% lactose |
| Mozzarella | 22 | 50 | Stretched curd | |
| Soft, ripened 1–2 months | Camembert | 24 | 52 | Mold and bacteria ripened |
| Limburger | 27 | 48 | Yeast and bacteria ripened | |
| Semisoft, ripened 1½–4 months | Havarti | 36 | 42 | Cows’ or buffaloes’ milk, enzyme coagulated, small openings (‘eyes’) |
| Feta | 21 | 55 | Sheep’s milk, stored in salt brine, open texture | |
| Muenster | 30 | 42 | Yeast and bacteria ripened | |
| Firm, ripened 1–12 months or more | Cheddar | 33 | 37 | Bacteria ripened |
| Colby | 32 | 38 | Open texture, bacteria ripened | |
| Edam | 28 | 42 | Bacteria ripened | |
| Gouda | 27 | 41 | Bacteria ripened | |
| Provolone | 27 | 41 | Stretched curd smoked | |
| Swiss | 27 | 37 | Gas forming bacteria ripened | |
| Alpine Style | Prairie Breeze | Characterized by crystals in the cheese and a sweet, nutty flavor | ||
| Ripened 5 months to 2 years | Parmesan | 26 | 29 | Very hard, granular, must be grated |
| Romano | 27 | 31 | Very hard, granular, must be grated | |
| Blue-vein mold-ripened 2–12 months | Blue | 29 | 42 | Blue mold cheese from cow’s or goats’ milk |
| Roquefort | 31 | 39 | Blue mold cheese from ewes’ milk, made in Roquefort, France |
*From Composition of Foods. Dairy and Egg Products; Raw, Process, and Prepared. agr. Handbook No. 8-=1, 1976. pp. 1-33
**Cheeses labeled “reduced fat” must, like any other food, contain at least 25% less fat than that standard for the cheese.
Cheese Sampling
Help prepare cheese samples as assigned.
Sensory Observations
Cheese Curds:
- Place a cheese curd in each 2 oz sample cup.
- No pairing or type; curd formation is the start of most cheeses, so this is a good place to start
Sensory Observations:
Cream Cheese, Type: _____________________
- Combine 4 oz cream cheese with 3 T fresh chives and 1 T chopped olive
- Portion 1–2 tsp in each 2 oz sample cup
- Add a bagel chip or pita chip to each portion before serving.
Sensory Observations:
Gjetost with sliced apples, Type: _____________________
- Place a small piece of gjetost in each 2 oz sample cup.
- Serve with 1 Granny Smith and 1 sweeter apple (Gala, Braeburn, Honey crisp, etc).
- Slice apples right before serving and place 1 slice of each apple in each cup.
Sensory Observations:
Camembert with praline topping, Type: _____________________
- Praline Topping Recipe
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp light corn syrup
- ¼ c heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- Heat sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a saucepan over low heat. Simmer for 3 minutes; stir in the walnuts. Store in a plastic container.
- Place a small wedge of camembert in each 2 oz sample cup. Add ~1 teaspoon praline topping to each cup.
Sensory Observations:
Havarti with caramelized onions, Type: _____________________
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan, sauté 1 onion until caramelized, about 30 min. Store in a plastic container.
- Place a small piece of havarti in each 2 oz sample cup. Add ~1 teaspoon of caramelized onion to each cup.
Sensory Observations:
Gouda with fig jam, Type: _____________________
- Place a bite-size piece of Gouda and ~1 teaspoon of fig jam in each 2 oz sample cup.
Sensory Observations:
Prairie Breeze Alpine Style cheese with chocolate-covered almonds, Type: ____________
- Place a bite-size piece of Prairie Breeze plus a chocolate-covered almond in each 2 oz sample cup.
Sensory Observations:
Parmesan with tomatoes, Type: _____________________
- 3 tomatoes, chopped, combined with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a small amount of salt. Store in a plastic container.
- Place a bite-size piece of parmesan in each 2 oz sample cup.
- Top with chopped tomato mixture and drops of balsamic vinegar right before serving.
Sensory Observations:
Maytag blue with toasted hazelnuts and honey, Type: _____________________
- Toast raw hazelnuts in 350°F oven for 8–12 minutes, until lightly brown; remove skins (if any)
- Place a small piece of blue cheese in each 2 oz sample cup. Add 2 roasted hazelnuts and ~1 teaspoon honey to each cup.
Sensory Observations:
